FROM FIGURES TO LETTERS: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PAINTINGS AND POEMS OF KOMET

• Main Author: Ferhunde KÜÇÜKŞEN ÖNER
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sada Institute of Art and Language Studies 2018-08-01
• Series: Ulakbilge: Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi
• Subjects: Komet; painting; poetry; color; letters
• Online Access: http://www.ulakbilge.com/makale/pdf/1534538091.pdf
• ISSN: 2148-0451; 2148-0451

Although each has a unique starting point when expressing various kinds of sense, emotion, idea, and affection, painting and poetry resembles each other in that these two branches of art have a limited space and thus, they have to use materials efficiently and effectively. Painting employs colors, patterns, and shapes, whereas poetry makes use of letters. Nevertheless, the above mentioned limitations have paved the way for both the branches of art to prefer similar ways of expression, and benefit from each other. It is very common that painting and poetry inspire each other in 'descriptive, symbolic, and imaginative expressions'. Therefore, neither of these branches of art can be analyzed only through focusing on understanding and showing. From the early 20th century onward, especially following the Republican Period, the number of artists who make use of painting in their poetry or of poetry in their paintings has increased. Also, the number of artists who produce works in both the branches of art is not low. This study will make comparisons between the paintings and poems of Komet (Gürkan Coşkun) who has been an important figure in Turkish painting after 1960s and who is also known for his poetry. Apart from discovering his approach to arts as a whole, the role of painting and poetry in his holistic approach is also going to be discussed and the question of in what ways his paintings and poems influenced and complemented each other will be answered. As an ultimate analysis, the dimensions of the relationship between painting and poetry will be studied by referring to an artist who has left his mark in art history with his painter-poet personality.